Island



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1-.

I. F. WALES. BIGYGLE.

Patented Mar. 2, 1897.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

I. F. WALES.

BICYCLE.

No. 577,395. Patented Mar. 2, 1897.

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NITE STATES .ATENT FFICE IRVING F. l/VALES, OF VVOONSOOKET, RHODEISLAND.

BICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,895, dated March 2,1897.

Application filed September 3 0, 1 8 9 6.

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRVING F. WALES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Woonsocket, in the county of Providence and State of RhodeIsland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bicycles;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it an pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to velocipedes, and more particularly to means forpropelling the same; and its novelty and many advantages will be fullyunderstood from the following description and claims when taken inconjunction with the annexed drawings, in which Figure l is a sideelevation of a velocipede or bicycle embodying my invention with per--tions of the traveling wheels broken away and the sprocketchain indotted lines. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlargedlongitudinal section taken through one of the handle-bars and itsappurtenances. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken in theplane indicated by the line :0 5c of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlargeddetail elevation with parts in section, illustrating one of thepedal-cranks, the pedal thereon, and the means employed for connecting astrap to the spindle of the pedal. Fig. 6 is a detail section taken inthe plane indicated by the line 'y y of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a sideelevation of one of the heel supports or clips, and Fig. 8 is a planview of the same.

In the said drawings similar letters designate corresponding parts inall of the views, referring to which-- A indicates the main frame of myimproved machine, which is formed of tubing of suitable size. This frameA, as better shown in Figs. 1 and 2, comprises the horizontal topline-tubes a; the rear stays b, which are suitably connected with therear ends of the tubes at; the bottom line-tubes c, which are connectedwith the lower ends of the rear stays b and extend forwardly andupwardly therefrom; the crank-shaft hanger d, which receives and isconnected to the forward ends of the top line-tubes; the stays e, whichconnect said hanger and the bottom line-tubes:

Serial No. 607,413. (No model.)

the head-postf, which is connected with the forward ends of the bottomline-tubes c; the stay 9, connecting the crank-shaft hanger and thelower end of the head-post, and the stay h, connecting the hanger andthe upper end of the head-post, as shown. As will be readilyappreciated, a frame constructed in the manner just described isexceedingly strong and durable and is well able to withstand the greatshocks and strains to which the frames of bicycles and the like areordinarily subjected.

B indicates the drive-wheel of the machine, which is mounted in theframeA in the ordinary manner and is provided with a sprocket 2',(illustrated by dotted lines in Fig/1,) and 0 indicates the frontor-pilot wheel. This pilot-wheel is mounted in the usual manner in afork D at the lower end of a rod E, and the said rod E, which issuitably journaled in the head-post f of the frame, is fixedly connectedatits upper end to the handlebar F, whereby it will be seen that bymoving said bar the rider is enabled to properly steer the machine. Thesaid handle-bar F is preferably of the form shown, that is to say, itcomprises the transverse portion is and the rearwardly-extendingparallel and tubular portions Z, which are of the proportional lengthshown. These parallel portions 1 are designed to receive rods G, whichhave handles H at their rear ends, whereby they may be readilyreciprocated by the rider to assist in the propulsion of the machine, aswill be presently described. The said rods G are preferably tubular, asillustrated in Fig. 3, to receive the elastic strips I or spiralsprings,

which are connected at one end to the rods at m and at their oppositeends to a block 02., arranged in and connected to the portions Z of thehandle-bar F, and are designed to draw the rods forwardly, so as toassist the rider in reciprocating the same.

J indicates the crank-shaft, which is journaled in the hanger d, asbetter shown in Fig. 1. This crank-shaft is provided at its oppositeends with the usual cranks p and pedals q, and it is also provided withthe sprocketwheel 0, which is connected by the chain 3 (illustrated bydotted lines) with the sprocketwheel 6 of the drive-wheel, wherebyitwill be seen that when the crank-shaft is rotated the drive-wheel willalso be rotated and the machine propelled.

The shafts t of the pedals q are provided with peripherallygroovedwheels a, (see Fig. 5,) and receiving said shafts and the wheels to arethe boxes 1), which comprise two sections w, connected in a hingedmanner at their lower ends. The boxes 12 serve to hold the balls 00,which are arranged in a raceway formed by the wheels u and the boxes andare designed to reduce the friction between the two; and said boxes alsoserve for the connection of the flexible straps K, which may be of wire,chain, or other suitable material, and are connected at their upper endsto the rods G, as indicated by y, whereby it will be seen that when saidrods are drawn rearwardly motion will be communicated to the crank-armsp and the crank=shaft J to assist in the rotation of the latter and thepropulsion of the machine.

In order to take up slack of the flexible connections K when the rods Gare moving forwardly, so as to keep said connections taut at all times,I provide the slidable carriages L, which are arranged and adapted tomove on the portions Z of the handle-bar I and are provided withantifriction-wheels 2, which engage the flexible connections, and theelastic strips or springs M,which take through guides on the handle-barand are connected at their opposite ends to the carriages L and theflexible connections K, as shown. By reason of this construction theconnections K are kept taut at all times, so that motion will beimmediately transmitted from the rods G to the crank-arms p.

P indicates the saddle of my improved machine. This saddle forms thesnbj cot-matter of my contemporaryapplication of even date herewith andis fully described therein. I prefer to employ such saddle upon myimproved machine, because it is peculiarly suited to the same, but I donot desire to be understood as confining myself to the employment ofsuch a saddle, as any suitable saddle may be employed.

The saddle P is arranged upon the top linetubes at of the frame at therear end thereof, and therefore, in order to enable the rider to betterkeep his feet upon the pedals q, I provide the heel supports or clips R.(Better illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings.) These heelsupports or clips respectively comprise the longitudinal central bar a,which is adapted at its forward end to be connected to the rear side ofa pedal q and has its rear end bent upwardly, as indicated by b, and theloop or bar 0, which is connected to the bar a at the forward and rearends thereof and is preferably shaped as shown. These clips R serve toreceive the rear portions of the feet and hold the same upon the pedals,so as to enable the rider to ride with greater ease and comfort.

It will be seen from the foregoing that by reason of the construction ofmy improved machine a rider is enabled to use both his feet and hands inthe propulsion of the same, and is consequently enabled to drive the machine at a high rate of speed with but a mini mum amount of exertion. Itwill also be seen that by reason of the construction of my improvedmachine a rider is enabled to use his hands in the propulsion of themachine without interfering with his ability to steer the same. It willalso be seen that the rider sits very low on the frame, and is thereforenot liable to be injured in the event of a fall.

Having described my invention, What I claim is- 1. In a bicycle or othervelocipede, the combination of a main frame having top linetubes, rearstays connected with the top line tubes, bottom 1ine-tubes connected toand extending forwardly and upwardly from the lower ends of the rearstays, the head-post connected at its lower end to the forward ends ofthe bottom line-tubes, the crank-shaft hanger receiving and connected tothe top line-tubes, braces (2, connecting the crankshaft hanger and thebottom line-tubes, a brace 9, connecting the hanger and the lowerportion of the l1ead-post, and a brace h, connecting the hanger and theupper end of the head-post, a drive-wheel mounted in and supporting themain frame, a pilot-wheel, a fork carrying said wheel and having a rodjournaled in the main frame, a handle-bar connected to the said rod andhaving the rearwardly-extending tubular portions, reciprocating rodsarranged and adapted to move in the said portions of the handle-bar, acrankshaft journaled in the hanger and having pedal-cranks and pedalsthereon, gearing intermediate of said crank-shaft and the drivewheel andconnections intermediate of the crank-shaft and the reciprocating rods,substantially as specified.

2. In a bicycle or other velocipede, the combination of a main frame, adrive -wheel mounted in and supporting said frame, a pilotwheel, a forkcarrying said wheel and having a rod journaled in the main. frame, ahandlebar connected to the said rod and having the rearwardly-extendingtubular portions, re=- ciprocatory rods arranged and adapted to move inthe said portions of the handle-bar, a crank-shaft journaled in the mainframe and having pedal-cranks and pedals thereon, gearing intermediateof said crank-shaft and the drive-wheel, flexible connections betweenthe reciprocatory rods and the crank-shaft, slides arranged on thehandle-bar and having wheels engaging said flexible connections, elasticdevices connected at opposite ends to the flexible connections andslides and taking over guides on the main frame and means for assistingthe forward movement of the reciprocatory rods, substantially asspecified.

3. In a bicycle or. other velocipede, a pedal and a clip connected tothe rear side of the In testimony whereof I affix my signature pedal andcomprising a longitudinal central in presence of tWo Witnesses. barhaving the upwardly-bent rear end, and the loop connected to the forwardend of the 5 longitudinal central bar and the upper end Witnesses:

of the rear branch thereof, substantially as GEO. WV. SPAULDING, and forthe purpose set forth. E. LE ROY SPAULDING.

IRVING F. VVALES.

